Closure for bottles



May 14, 1940. G. l.. GRAPP cLoURE rn BOTTLES Fired' Feb. 2. 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR La Mayvl 1940 G. l.. GRAPP 2,200,600

CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES Filed/ Feb. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n" Il Il v INV NTOR @WM5 f P Patented May 14, 1940 STATES ArsNr 2 Glaims.

My present invention relates to the general art of syphon bottles and more particularly to a closure and dispensing apparatus for syphoning liquids from bottles.

While many devices have been'produced for dispensing charged water and the like from bottles, it has been found diiiicult to provide an inexpensive cap for the transportation of said charged water and then to provide means for dispensing the same without losing the initial gas charge. At present the most satisfactory solution seems to be to have a dispensing valve and syphon arrangement which is shipped and stored as part of the sales package. This naturally entails a very substantial investment where large quantities are being handled and there is always the possibility of acidental functioning of such apparatus before it is desired to put the same to use.

There are a number of other devices for dispensing from bottles which have previously been sealed hy independent caps. Those observed, however. have been so complicated in their structure as to be too expensive for ordinary use and their operation has entailed consumer education to the degree that they apparently have not proved practical commercially.

My invention is an improvement on this latter type of device. t consists essentially of a modied form of the metal cap, `normally known to the trade as the crown cap, and then using with it at the time the liquid is to be used, a dispenser arranged to open the cap in a manner so as not to lose any of the initial gas charge, and to retain the same until the liquid is entirely withdrawn.

The principal object of my present invention is, therefore, to provide a metal cap which is so arranged with sealing rings, or washers, that it will provide proper security for the transportation and storage of gas-charged water, and, when the time for dispensing arrives, may be easily opened without disturbing the sealing properties of the cap.

The 'second principal object of my .present invention is to provide a dispensing valve andv syphon arrangement that is particularly adapted for functioning with my improved closure cap.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a vertical, sectional view through a charged-water transportation and storage bot- (Ci. 21S-39) tle showing my complete apparatus in sectional view.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the dispensing valve as it appears from the outside.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional, vertical View through a cap made after the teachings of my present invention.

Figure 4 is a view illustrating in greater detail the construction of my cap; the View is simi- `lar to that of Figure 1 but on enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is an exploded view, bracketed, showing the various elements making up my cap which is designed to exert greater pressure on the syphon sealing gasket.

Figure 6 is an alternate arrangement of my cap shown in vertical sectional view.

Figure 7 is a bracketed view showing the internal parts used in the cap of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is another modified form of cap sealing construction shown in Vertical sectional view.

Figure 9 illustrates, in a bracketed view, and in section, the sealing members employed in the cap form of Figure 8.

Figure 10 illustrates a further modification of the sealing means used in the cap construction, the same being shown in sectional view.

Figure 11 is a bracketed, sectional view showing the essential parts employed in the sealing of the cap of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a further modication of ymy sealing cap the same being shown in sectional view.

Figure 13 is a bracketed view showing the parts of the cap of Figure l2 aside from the main y clincher, or crown cap, that I employ to assure adequate sealing.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate llike parts, le designates the body of my cap. This construction follows the proven practices of the metal cap normally referred to as the crown cap Throughout the Various views it has been shown with its sides straight, in the form in which it is applied to bottles; when applied to a bottle it is crimped inwardly as indicated in Figure 4. This form of cap ischaracterized in general by having a substantially at top i6 and the downwardly extending rim il, the lower edge of which is folded or indented as at l. When the cap is applied to the neck of a bottle as 2@ these folded orindented portions lend themselves to crimping under the bead of the bottle neck so as to Cil crown cap with a compressibie washer as 22. 'This is usually formed of cork or other similar material and is intended to take up the slight inequalities encountered on the bottle neck so that the cap will adequately provide sealing for the bottle.

In my present construction I prefer to retain this feature of the crown cap, which is adapted to all automatic bottling machines, only altering the cap by stamping a central hole throughthe top equal to the diameter of the s'yphon rod 30. In order to prevent contact between the contents of the bottle and the cork it is normal to provide an inner layer of metal foil which rests upon the neck of the bottle and thus protects the water or contents from cork contamination. In my present cap I prefer to increase the strength of this washer by providing a metal or fibre washer as 24 which will be of sufficient strength to prevent the gases blowing out through the gasket material 22 at the central portion where it is unsupported. Discs 22 and 24 are' solid without any central opening. Inside of these two washers I provide two additional washers, a resilient washer as 26 and a metal compression washer 28. Washer 26 should be of fairly compressibie mate'- rial such as rubber, treated felt, or the like. Washer 26 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 26a which is of a diameter appreciably less than the size of syphon rod 30 which will be used with the dispensing apparatus. Washer 28 is provided with an opening 28a which should be just slightly larger than the syphon rod so that the same can, with certainty, pass through it without deforming the same. Opening 28a is preferably of the same size as opening 26a in the crown cap itself and a fraction larger than syphon rod 30. No appreciable effort is required to insert syphon rod 30 through the cap as the metal is previously displaced. When a cap is constructed of parts to accomplish these successive purposes and is applied to the bottle by the capping machine, considerable force is exerted on the syphon seal gasket 26 by the metal washer 28 thereby further assuring a perfect seal, and itmay take the form as shown in Figures 3, 6, 8, 10, or 12, in that there is first provided a definite sealing means to keep the included gas inside the bottle; further means is provided to prevent the liquid from coming in contact with the compressibie washer used to insure the desired condition of this washer against inroads of liquid. 'Ihe object of' this construction is to provide a positive, syphon sealing means that will definitely assure against leakage o'f gas, or liquid, when rod 30 is inserted through the cap and punctures washers 22 and 24, and will be capable also of holding the seal for an indefinite time.

Figure 6 illustrates a slightly different arrangement of the parts shown in Figures 3 and 5 in that the compressor washer 22 which is used to seal between the bottle and the cap, is pierced at 22a and is standard thickness, and also an additional metal member 32 is used. This member ts inside of cap i 4 flush against the top I6 and vice.

phon seal gasket 26, as the gasket is slightly thicker than its container. A single sheet of metal 24 which now must be reinforced or of heavier gage than that of the former construction, is used alone to hold the gas pressure occuring at the center of the cap during the periods of transportation and storage.

In Figure 8 the structure has been somewhat modified along the line suggested by the Thomas valve used so generally as a rubber check valve. In this form the same opening ISa is provided in cap I4 and the metal plate 24 of a heavy soft foil, having the same outside dimensions as before, is used. It is modified in this form in that it is provided with a centrally disposed cup portion 36. Washers 26 and 22 are combined in a single molded washer 38 and should preferably be made of the same material as washer 2S so that it can flow under pressure. It is formed with a centrally disposed, downwardly directed, enlarged portion 40 adapted to fit into the depression 36 of washer 24. On its upper side this depressed portion is provided with, preferably, a conical opening 42 and the boss 40 is further pierced as at 43 so that as the syphon rod 30 l which has a sharp point is forced through the device it will rupture the remaining material at the desired point as the rod passes through boss 40 so it will fold around the tube to provide adequate obturation.

In the form shown in Figure 10 a washer 26 is provided of the same material as the washer of the form shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, excepting that it is increased in thickness so that it may be capable of the combined function of sealing the bottle against gas leakage and still have sufficient body adjacent opening 26a -so that as the tap rod n enters this undersized opening it will force the material away from the tube and downwardly so as to again provide security against gas loss. Washer 24 must be of adequate weight, similar to that shown in Figure 6, in order that it can assume without danger the entire internal pressure of the included gas, but of such material that it can be easily pierced with syphon rod J0.

In Figure 12 the same general elements shown in Figures 5 and 6 are employed. Washer 24 is of the same type as that shown in Figure 5 and washer 22 is substantially the same excepting for a slight depression at 44. The top surface I6 of cap I4 is provided with a slight recess at its center indicated at 46. 'I'his depressed portion of the metal cap fits into the recess 44 of washer 22. On the other side of recess 46 provision is vmade to seat the reduced size, highly compressibie washer 28 which, as before, is provided with the reduced size opening 28a. In order to hold the small washer 26 in position during the transportation and storage life of the bottle I have provided an additional outside cap 42 which snaps on over cap I4 and is provided with an opening 48a that is larger than the opening 26a but as small as will surely pass rod 30.

For use with my cap I provide a tapping de- This consists of the tap rod 30 which is pointed as at and is secured within a bushing 52. 'I'his bushing has a lower face just slightly larger than the outside diameter of cap I4, when the same has been crimped in place upon a bottle. Secured to bushing 4S2 is the dispensing valve assembly 54. This consists essentially of a discharge spout 55, a discharge control valve 5i, a compression spring Sl for the same, and an operating lever ll.- This lever is provided with a hooked pivot at 6l and a rocking fulcrum at- 62, an enlarged head 64 is provided so that the palm of the hand can be rested upon the same and, with pressure applied, force point 50 of the syphon rod down through the cap assembly, overcome the internal gas pressure and actually seat the entire assembly on the bottle until the spring securing clips 66 engage the under side of the bottle neck proper. As a convenient manner in which to form these dogs I provide that they be engaged between bushing 52 and housing 54 so as to be. locked there by the screw thread 58. f

Method of operation In using my device my cap is used much in the manner of the conventional crown cap. It may be of substantially the same proportions although for certain uses it has been found desirable to slightly increase the height so that the various washers may be of more adequate proportions. These caps then provide the security for the contents during the transportation and distribution stage. When it is desired to dispense the liquid the shearing end 50 of rod 30 is inserted through opening IGa or in the case of the form shown in Figure 12 through opening 48a. The hand is then placed upon the head 64 provided for that purpose. No great force is required to pass the syphon rod down through the cap assembly as the crown cap and-metal compression washer 28 is previously punched. In so doing it will pass through the outer opening in thecap without undue contact then it must enlarge the opening in washer 26, or the washer 38 in the form of Figure 8: as it passes downwardly it then passes through, without contact, the .metal washer. It must then cut away a hole through washer 22 and washer 4 after the showing of Figures 1 and 4. It has been found most convenient for this purpose to have tube 30 beveled to one side as-Jindicated at 5|) in Figure 1 as it shears one side and hinges a portion of the cork and metal seal 24 to prevent it dropping into the bottle. When the tap rod is firmly seated and hooks' 66 engaged, the device is ready for use after the manner of the usual syphon bottle by pressing in on lever 60. This actionserves to open v alve 56 against spring 58 and the liquid is expelled through the hollowtube 30, by the internal gas pressure, out through spout 55.

Duringgthe operation of opening the bottle it has been found necessary to have a support for washer 26, or 38, in the form of a rm metal, or

fibre, washer' to the end that the highly compressible material, be it rubber or other suitable material, will not be crowded away from the point of the rod as 50 and be stretched out of shape or withdrawn from underneath the cap in its engagement with the neck of the bottle: but by having a definite shearing plate the material is merely forced backwardly into the 'cap firmly compressing it and a slight amount is drawn down the tube 'forming a most adequate obturating arrangement. It has further been found that when the internal pressure within the bottle B is applied to the relatively large exposed area of plate 28 that it further tends to compress washer 26 and as it cannot be driven back into the cap itself, the tendency is to press it firmly from all directions up against the tap rod 30, thus providing greater certainty of sealing. This function is the same in all of the various forms shown, namely, that a compression plate is used to insure the' positioning of the rubber or yieldable gasket 26 and insure that it is'drawn tightly .against the tap rod. The functioning of washers 22 and 24 are substantially the same as in any crown cap.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferredv embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly Within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim: v

1. A metal sealing-cap having a top opening adapted to pass a syphon-tube, a spacedimperforate fiber-disk adapted to rest upon and seal the mouth of a bottle, a`n intermediate rubber-gasket having an opening of less diameter than the syphon-tube, and a metal compressionwasher between the disk and .gasket havingA an opening adapted to pass the syphon-tube.

2. The combination with a metal sealing-cap having a side Wall and means embodied in the wall for clamping on a bottle-neck, of a rubber sealing gasket mounted in the cap and having an opening of less diameter than that of a syphontube and concentric with an opening inthe cap that is adapted to pass' the tube, a. metal compression-washer having an opening to pass the tube and mounted belowy` the gasket, an imperforate cork-disk mounted below the washer, and a fiber washer mounted below the cork-disk to rest upon the seal the mouth of a bottle.

^ GEORGE L. GRAPP. 

